14,600 Meals
by IAmNotSam
Summary: [Post-Halfway Valentine] There's a lot that Emily Fitch still has to face now that she's on her girlfriend Naomi's home turf—Naomi's nosy family and mates, a super tight bridesmaid dress, and Australia's killer twelve-foot waves. The million dollar question: Will the redhead be able to ride everything down smoothly?
1. Prologue

**_Author's Note:_ If you're getting confused, you are not alone, dear. "14,600 Meals" is sort of a sequel to "Halfway Valentine". If you want to check out the story, you can simply Google "Halfway Valentine". Cheers!**

* * *

**P****ROLOGUE**

_**La, la, la,**_

_**La, la, la, la, la **_

Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" blasted out of the portable speakers nearby waking me with a start. Facing me was a huge inflatable T-Rex holding up a piece of paper that said _**GET UP! RAWR…BRRREAKFAST!**_

"Rawrrr! Rawrrr!" Someone roared loudly, mimicking the sounds made by that of a dinosaur. "Gerrrrrup—!"

"Okay, okay!" I moaned at it. "Fucking hell." Since when did bloody dinosaurs do wake-up calls?

The green dinosaur disappeared and Halo and Panda's playful smirks and snickering greeted me right away.

"You two are unbelievable!" I rasped out, flippantly scowling at them and rubbing sleep off my eyes at the same time, and they laughed all the more.

"Karen just threw up on Sean's foot," Panda perkily announced, clutching the dinosaur with both arms.

I couldn't help but slant my brows. "And so?"

Halo snatched the dinosaur from the Swede. "And so you should see the blended chunks of graham crackers and diced carrots. It's like a whole new level of artistry." She laughingly pointed at somewhere I didn't follow with my eyes as the mere thought grossed me out.

"Ugh. Go away, please," I groaned, and the two rowdy girls did. Jeez, I wonder where they got all that energy. Maybe from the incredibly vivacious, irritatingly contagious Aussie pop song playing.

_**La, la, la,**_

_**La, la, la, la, la **_

"And kindly turn down the music, Heaven. I can't get it out of my head for real," I whined again whilst clutching my head in annoyance, and luckily Halo did as she was told once more.

I took that peaceful moment to observe and feel everything: I was lying on my back on a grassy patch of hill that overlooked the sandy beach that was strewn with bits of revelry: beer cans, popped beach balls, vodka bottles and sweatshirts, discarded boxes of graham crackers and blobs of half-eaten marshmallows left over from the three AM attempt at making s'mores. All along the beach and grass were occupied tents and sleeping bag-covered bodies and—amidst all this debris—me.

February morning. Australian summer. 20°C. An hour south of Sydney. Glorious.

I gazed sleepily at the wide, misty sky. It's the kind of morning that starts off chilly and misty and then, suddenly, breaks into a hot, sunny day. But right now, I was tucked into my purple sleeping bag which was lined with plaid flannel. And since I was feeling groggy and shoeless, I could feel the worn material on my toes and I closed my eyes again.

Moments later, when I turned my head to my right and opened my eyes, I was greeted with a warm, adoring smile by none other than Naomi Campbell. My beautiful girlfriend. And the most amazing woman in the entire galaxy.

As we were both on our backs and with our heads turned in, facing each other, it was like nothing else existed except us and the soft sound of the waves on the shore.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," she whispered to me, her eyes still half sleep-closed. I studied her for a moment. Her blond hair was cascading down around her shoulders, elegantly unruly—and her stunning jawline and flawless face visible underneath said hair spillage.

"Hey back," I said, running a loving finger along her exposed forearm. This stirred her up a little.

"Sorry, I took pictures of you while you were sleeping. Again," Naomi said, gesturing at the iPad tablet tucked under her arm. "Couldn't resist it."

I smiled at this. "You can take all the photos of me you want, babe."

Her response was a sweet kiss on my lips, and I couldn't help but smile all the more.

I looked over at something hard I hit with my foot. A Frisbee disc was halfway buried in the sand. I grimaced at this. "Last night was . . ." I started then stopped, gazing at the overcast skies above us. It was as hazy as my head—alcohol seemed to have flooded my entire skull.

Naomi bit her lip, smiling at the crazy memories. "Insert adjective here: (a) fun (b) sheer madness (c) a combination of the two."

"I'll take C for five hundred," I said, yawning. "Or can I phone a friend?"

My girlfriend snorted a laugh. "You're totally mixing game shows here, missy," she said, and I rolled my head back so we're looking at each other again.

With sneaky fingers that crept into my unzipped sleeping bag, reached the loose hem of my Roxy shortie boardshorts, and traced circular figures on my bare leg, the blonde suddenly wiggled her brows seductively as if suggesting we do something smutty while most of the people were still knocked out.

"Give me a break; it's not even seven in the morning," I told her off in a whisper in spite of the tingles I just felt, and Naomi made a face and let out a groan at this. Then I switched gears. "Anyway, do you remember trying to eat a s'more with no hands last night?"

My girlfriend nodded. "God, yes. That is exactly why you got some marshmallow in your hair, darling." She reached out to pluck a sticky long one from my hair. "It's funny how I often see you sporting this hairstyle."

"Oh shut it," I said, half-smiling and half-scowling at the gooey bits and strands of confection.

"Aww, poor little baby." Grinning teasingly, Naomi suddenly hooked her fingers at the back of my neck, tugged me toward her and kissed me again, her warm smooth tongue sliding slowly between my lips. Our breathing picked up. I felt the familiar rush low in my guts.

I clung tight onto the blonde's back, kicking the blanket off me. "God, I love Australia," I murmured, sucking the soft hollow between my girlfriend's neck and shoulder. "Especially the people."

This made Naomi giggle. "Oh do you, really?" Her grip around my neck tightened as my kisses grew wilder.

"Mmm . . . Mm-hmm," I murmured against the smooth skin of her cheek. Then I drew back, my brows together. "Is it my fucked-up imagination or did people skinny-dip while singing 'It's a Small World'? The details of last night are—um—a little fuzzy."

Naomi, with a lift of her chin, gestured at a knocked out Cook's pale butt on display a few metres away. I made a face at this ghastly sight. Eurgh.

Naomi laughed quietly and shook her head. "It's one of those acid trips that make total sense at the time, but when you remember it later it's like, _Why the fuck were we singing that? And what was so fucking appealing about getting naked in the frigid Pacific?_" Sitting up, she put her sunglasses on. Then she started stretching her arms and I thought my girlfriend looked so sexy. Especially her outfit. The blonde was clad in a grey Hamada University fleece hoodie and hidden underneath is a sexy two-piece black string bikini.

I sat up as well and reached for a bottle of mineral water to relieve my parched throat. Sighing happily, I wiggled my toes in the beige-coloured sand, loving the feel of the rough grain grating against my skin. "Great weather and view, eh? Makes you want to write poems in your head." I tore my eyes away from Naomi and fixed my gaze on the horizon line. After a long sip of water, I cleared my throat and began reciting: "_Naomi's a dark silhouette against the sun. Bright around the edges and an eternal mystery_."

"_Naomi's a dark silhouette against the sun. Bright around the edges and an eternal mystery_," Naomi repeated in a musing tone, looking back at me. "I like that. You're really so _romamtic_, Em. But it's not very long for a poem, is it?"

"It's a haiku, babe."

Naomi removed her sunglasses and wiped them with her hoodie. "A haiku? And how, exactly, would you define a haiku again?" she asked, replacing the sunglasses in its case. "I forgot. I hated Jap lit class. It was boring as fuck."

I stared at a nearby odd-looking mound of sand that was supposed to look like Taj Mahal or something. I wasn't so sure. A highly-intoxicated Karen and Katie built it last night. "A haiku is usually characterised by short, elegant, and very descriptive phrases," I answered.

Naomi's eyes lit up as it came over her. "Ah yea! The one that uses imagistic language and whatnots. . ."

Squeals from a running Panda and Halo caught our attention. Naomi held her iPad up and set it on video mode, zooming in on the two loud, hyper girls some distance away. In music videos, women never clenched their fists and pumped their arms when they ran along a beach. Their arms hung loose and sort of swayed around their bodies.

Panda's arms refused to sway. They swung like dead weights instead, whapping her thighs which Naomi and I thought looked ridiculously cute, awkward, and hilarious.

"Short, elegant, descriptive phrases, you say?" Naomi, fighting off hysterical laughter, pursed her lips as if in deep thought. "_Panda moves like a __fucking __bird. A big clumsy turkey, to be exact._"

I burst out laughing. "God, I love you so much. Can I get a kiss for that brilliance?" I reached out for the blonde, and she willingly dropped back into my arms as she went on recording videos.

"You can get all the kisses you want from me, babe," Naomi said with a wink, borrowing my words and immediately I craned my neck forward to give her a kiss on the another one on her cheek. Then one last on her left eyebrow. This made Naomi smile, red tinting her cheeks.

We sat there melded, laughing together and enjoying the warm rays of sun that bathed us in a soft light, my arms wrapped around Naomi's waist and my head resting on her shoulder as the blonde got busy taking photos of the Pacific surf, the exposed tidal rock pool, and the fascinating rock formations with her iPad.

God, I could kiss this woman for an eternity, I thought as I dreamily watched the movement of her soft lashes and marveled at the fullness of her lips. How did people deal with this kind of love? Were people ever as content as this? Or were normal people capable of feeling what I'm feeling right now?

And I wonder if I can prove the strength of my feelings and my worth to Naomi's family, in particular. Naomi's family. Eeek. I was shitting bricks, to be honest. I was about to meet some of the most important people in my girlfriend's life. The thought made me swallow hard.

I knew Naomi noticed that I'd gone quiet all of a sudden because she straightened up and put her iPad down.

The blonde turned around to face me with worried eyes. "Hey." She gently cupped my face in her hand and gazed into my eyes. "What's worrying my little Ranga?"

I looked down, yet nuzzled into her palm. "I just—" I forced out of my clogged throat, "I'm just really nervous about meeting your family. I think they'd be disappointed with me."

Naomi let out a snort. "Nonsense." She then lifted my chin with a tender finger and made me look at her. She gave me a reassuring smile. "They'll be ecstatic, Ems. I'll tell them we're madly in love with each other, that you could fix the best salad on this planet, that you're the peanut butter to my jelly, and that we've made whoopee in every place possible and our bodies fit together like a dream."

"You wouldn't dare tell them that!"

"Oh hunny, I would." She gave me a teasing wink.

"Will you tell them about my uselessness?"

"Oh, I've already warned them," the blonde said, smirking. "Aunt G's volunteered to be stationed at the grill."

That made me laugh so hard. "I love you. You're amazing," I said, looking at her fondly whilst my arms were still fixed around her, holding her close.

She tapped the tip of my nose with her index finger. "And you're embarrassing."

"Foul." I bit Naomi's playful finger that was still pointed at me then immediately pecked her on the lips before she could even react. Then I pecked her again, over and over, tightening my hold of her.

Giggling and a little breathless, Naomi turned around again to face the ocean. She leant back, melting against my chest and smiled sleepily at the comforting view in the distance. I loosened my embrace a little and let my hands rest on her tummy. It felt so wonderful to be with my girlfriend like this and to have ironed out the problems we had recently had. It was the first time since even before the long-distance drama that I had really been able to relax.

The peaceful scenery was beautified even more by the sound of waves crashing against the nearby shore. A sea breeze caressed us.

"Mmm." Naomi took a deep breath. "I don't think I could ever get tired of the smell of the ocean."

"I know what you mean," I agreed, absently running my fingers through her hair with one hand. "One good whiff and all your troubles seem to disappear." I, too, breathed deeply and lifted my face to the sky. "Mmm . . ."

Naomi nestled her head on my chest and clung to me like I was a pillow. "God, I can't wait to get to JJ's villa," she said. "And have you _all_ to myself. Just you and me. And cuddle all day and you know . . ." She let out a yawn.

"Oh, I know," I murmured, stroking her hair.

She rubbed her cheek against my chest, murmuring content sounds as if she were breathing in my scent and enjoying the way I touched her hair. And I pressed my cheek against the crown of her head, holding her close and ever so tenderly. I felt her twitching very gently as sleep came over her.

Moments later, Naomi was still breathing slowly in front of me in her sleep so I took the moment in, holding on to her and watching her sleep. I touched Naomi's cheek very softly with my fingertips, fixated on her beauty. She looked so irresistible that I couldn't help it. I lightly licked the tip of her alluring narrow pointed nose.

Naomi jerked all of a sudden, opened her eyes and lifted her face to me. "Did you just lick my nose?" she asked, her voice high-pitched and cracking slightly.

I narrowed my eyes. My mouth hung open for a moment in pretend innocence. "Did I _what_?"

Naomi broke into a huge grin. "You did! You _did_ just lick me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, babe."

She threw her head back and laughed. "Don't give me that, you know _exactly_ what I mean."

"I didn't lick your nose," I said, trying not to burst into laughter. "You don't have any evidence whatsoever to prove that."

"Whatever, sourpuss," Naomi muttered as she snuggled into me once more. "You and I both know you licked my nose." I watched her yawn for the nth time.

"Sure, babe," I murmured, gently stroking her hair again. "Just go back to sleep."

"I love you, Ranga," she mumbled sleepily and her eyes fluttered closed again. "My pretty princess."

After a few minutes, Naomi's breathing evened out. I grinned impishly, gave her nose a lick of my tongue, and whispered, "I love you back."

Yes, I loved the girl. Beyond my last breath. I didn't care right from the start what I'd have to live with for it. And I still think it was the best choice I've ever made.

I could smell her shampoo just under my chin where she rested, her pulse warming against my skin. I stayed ever so quiet and listened to her breathing, a sound which I never wanted to stop.

Feeling her in my arms, happy and content and safe, was one of the best feelings in the world. I never wanted it to go away.

No wonder I thought I could take on the world. With Naomi near to me and her love, no one can harm me.

Naomi Campbell had profoundly changed my perspective in life. See, I'd always been a realist. I never believed in love at first sight. I thought relationships were something you worked on over time, just like football skills.

But that didn't even begin to explain the way Naomi dropped into my life from out of the blue. I had never experienced the kind of feelings I had for her and not that fast. She had made me realise there's more to life.

And even more than that, she had changed my perspective on myself. Just the fact that she had made me feel like there must be something special about me.

When I was with Naomi, things were different. Just one smile from her, and all my anxieties fade away, and I feel like I am floating on air. Naomi Campbell had really changed me.

We sat there on the beach together and at that instant I had a flash of the two of us spending time just like this on a hundred different weekends in the future.

It was just a normal day, a day like any other. But best of all, it was a day in which all things were exactly where they should be.


	2. Chapter 1

**14,600 Meals**

"**B**abe," Naomi softly called, walking behind me as I stood leaning against the vine-covered balcony railing. She wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her chin on my shoulder.

"Mhm?" I murmured, brushing my hair and throwing it up in a messy bun.

"Look where we are," she whispered in my ear, kissing my cheek, as we both took in the breathtaking view. "I feel very . . . fortunate."

JJ's magnificent villa was located in Point Piper, Sydney's most exclusive waterfront suburb. And from where we were standing, you could clearly see the majestic houses and buildings lining the sea front. The property also overlooked panoramic Rose Bay harbour with Sydney Harbour Bridge as a centre-piece, creating a perfect setting for someone whose aim was to relax and fall further in love. Up ahead, the waters of the bay embraced the Pacific.

Just beyond the marina, masts of sailboats pointed toward the sky like upraised fingers. In every direction, there were leisure boats of every shape and size and Jet Skis zipping past, leaving white curls of water behind them.

I looked up at the sky. Clouds drifted overhead, puffy and full, as if moulded from snow. The gentle blue sky spread over water speckled with golden prisms of sunlight.

It made people feel like they were in a place where time stood still.

". . . and a little out of place," added the blonde with that hypercritical smirk of hers. I just loved my girlfriend's boundless enthusiasm.

I turned around, and smiled at my beautiful girlfriend. "I can't believe I'm here," I said quietly. "It still feels a little surreal, Naomes."

Naomi returned the smile. I could tell she was just as happy as I was. "I know. And there are only a few moments where I'm glad JJ's my mate. And this is definitely one of them. I can't need him for anything, but he could serve as entrée into the high society Sydney world of which I know not a fucking thing."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You're being sarcastic again, babe. I meant, you know, just the utterly surreal aspect of being here with you on your home turf . . ."

She nodded. "I know. And I can't even begin to say how over the moon I am that you're finally here, Emily," she whispered, touching my cheek lightly, lovingly. "I can't wait for you to experience everything." Her bright blue eyes were shining with genuine happiness and anticipation.

I touched Naomi's cheek with my fingertips and looked into her warm blue eyes. Tenderly I raised my lips to hers and ran my fingers through her gorgeous long blond hair. "I'm not sure what that 'everything' entails," I lovingly said, "but since I feel very affectionate and appreciative today, I love you, babe . . . and can't wait?"

She laughed at this. "I love you, too, Ems. And I love your new hair." She ran her fingers through my loosely-tied, newly-dyed brown auburn hair.

I turned around to face the view again, and held onto the railing. "So what's next on our itinerary?" I asked, leaning forward and breathing in the warm sea breeze.

"More sweet-talking, I guess . . ." Naomi's hands slid up to my shoulders and playfully toyed with the strings of my yellow bikini top. "You know, baby, I really, really like your hair like this. But . . ." She gently removed the hair elastic and I could feel her fingers softly unraveling the bun. Her voice was so matter-of-fact, yet so, so sexy—a combination that one would think is impossible. Her fingers were gentle and in a minute, my hair skimmed my shoulders, adding to the tactile sensations threatening to overload my brain. She pressed her face into my hair, whispering, "There. That's better. God, I love the colour."

My breathing had become embarrassingly ragged and I was sure that if I weren't balanced on my hands, I'd collapse to the balcony floor, nothing but a puddle of quavering goo. "Babe . . . this is not good. What's next on our schedule?"

The blonde drew back, giggling. "Well, unfortunately we have to leave this cosy suite and mingle with the annoying folks by the pool, and then we're hopping onto JJ's limo till we get to wherever else we have to go. JJ said Lara will be taking us to Ivy Bar tonight for a girlie night out."

"I heard more people are rolling in later."

Naomi grinned. "Yep. Zoe and Ben should be down there in a while. I think I saw a couple of cabs pull up. JJ said Thomas and Effy will arrive in a bit. They're on their way here from the airport."

I nodded slowly, giving a look of mock dread. "Sounds like an awfully ominous reunion."

"I know. But how boring life would be without drama, right?" Naomi reached out, and we held hands. "Now come on, babe." She tugged me toward the French double doors. "The salt air beckons."


	3. Chapter 2

Naomi and I scampered out through the double doors to the perfectly-mowed lawn garden then down a short flight of concrete steps heading toward the swimming pool area.

I couldn't hide my excitement. The gang was already there, busy with all sorts of fun things. It was a scene that looked like it came out of a teen spring movie. Freddie was lining up bags of potato chips and beer cans on a long wooden table under the cabana. Sarah was next to him, arranging huge boxes of Papa Pizza House pizza and buckets of Lord of the Fries hot chips. Cook and Sean were fooling around in the pool, tossing the inflatable T-Rex back and forth.

After taking selfies with her iPhone and posting them on Instagram, Katie sat up from one of the wicker sunloungers and inhaled the scent wafting on the gentle breeze. "The Down Under air smells so sweet. I want to walk around naked!"

"I'm with you, girl." Karen sat up as well and started putting on more suntan lotion. Then whilst sipping Woo Woo from their highball glasses, they started talking about their bikinis and Australian boys and I didn't want to hear the rest. Naomi and I moved toward the cabana where all the food and drinks could be found.

"Ohmigod. This place is, like, insanely perfect!" gushed Halo, hands either side of her head, as she soaked up the view. "Can I stay here forever?"

She was right. The swimming pool area offered just-as-spectacular views and recreational spots. With a wooden deck and modern pool surrounded by lush greenery, it definitely was heaven on earth. It even has a boathouse and a wooden jetty. Naomi began snapping photos with her SLR.

"Oh – we have barbecue too!" squeaked Halo. It was down the side of the cabana. I also found a wooden display storage rack of fishing rods on the side of the boathouse and yet another set of table and deckchairs under a vine-covered wooden trellis. And a gnome dressed as an Italian chef.

"Look, Halo. It has a dolphin at the bottom." Panda was standing on the edge of the pool, looking over and mesmerised by the image of a dolphin painted on the floor tiles of the pool.

Halo ran to her side and looked down. "Oh my God," she squealed, then clapped her hands giddily, "Pandapops can identify a dolphin now! Way to go, girl!" She gave Panda a congratulatory hug and they both laughed.

Suddenly Cook was at the deck railing and was pointing at something out in the sea. "Sweet Jaysus, lads. God bless our mate, GayJay. Will ya check out that deadly baby!" he called, grinning like a shot fox. Bobbing up and down in the gentle sea breeze was a magnificent yacht bearing the name _JJ Jones,_ probably worth gajillions. Gasps of awe and squeals of excitement followed Cook's discovery.

I grabbed a plastic bowl full of hot chips, walked around the pool, and plopped down on one of the deckchairs under the shade of the trellis. I couldn't help but smile all the more as I observed the people around me. Life goes on, but some things never change. Like this solid friendship that we have. Familiar voices, familiar laughter, familiar smiles. I have to say, though, everyone had matured somehow—if not how they act or behave, their looks at least.

Halo's hair had tamed to plain light brown. Her nails were not the usual—just neutral colour with white French tip. According to her, her job required her to look 'normal'. She's still loud, though.

Panda's fashion sense had definitely improved. I think we have our best mate Halo to thank for this. The two best friends, though, still act like a couple of playful little girls with the most outrageous ideas.

Sarah's hair was now in a pixie cut. She looked like a professional lady which she really is. The South Korean charmer holds a high-ranking position at the Ministry of Security and Public Administration in Seoul.

Cook had grown his hair a bit longer and was now sporting a full beard. He also put on a li'l weight which Katie complains about all the fucking time. Apparently Katie thinks those extra pounds were behind Cook's louder snoring.

Sean, who was now a game designer, still looked like he overdoses on protein milkshakes, but what really surprised us was that he had grown out his hair and was now parading stubbles, giving him a rugged and scruffy image. Those conspicuous tiny facial hair that seemingly testified the abundance of masculine juice that flowed in the Canadian lad.

Freddie's appearance had changed as well. He now had wider-looking shoulders, and it's obvious he'd put on some extra pounds. You could see he had been working out and staying fit. Well, that's only logical as he's been playing for a semi-professional football team back in his hometown, Toulouse.

Karen, well, she's still crazy Karen. Only with a more mature sense of style and choice of words. The sassy wildling's also quite the money machine. She's now a big-shot supervisor at the Embassy of Japan in France.

"Let's make this the best vacation ever, shall we?" Naomi proposed, sitting down on my lap, with a can of cold beer in one hand. She took the bowl of hot chips from my hand and started eating.

"Exactly what I was thinking, babe." I wrapped my arms around my girlfriend's waist and pulled her close to me. "And how do you suggest we kick it off?"

"A hot makeout session in the pool," she readily answered.

"Mmmm." I lifted my hand to sweep her hair aside and rested my lips directly against her ear. "Summer _romamce_. That sounds like a fantastic plan . . ."

Naomi held up a fry for me and I took it with my teeth and chewed. "Or . . ." she suggested in a quiet, seductive voice, ". . . we can start right now under this very trellis." She looked behind her at me, wiggling her brows naughtily. "It's incredibly _romamtic_, right? With all these vines around us, the breathtaking view of the ocean . . ." She very lightly ran her finger up and down my arm, seductively.

My breath hitched. "Right now?" I whispered, apprehensive. "Like, right here?"

Naomi turned around, straddling me, so she can face me completely. She placed the bowl and beer can down on the small table beside the chair. "Right here, right now, yes." She took the camera that was dangling from around her neck and began clicking pictures of my chest. "It's your boobies' fault, Emily. It makes me sooo horny." I laughed at the blonde's statement as she snapped away. "Blame it on your cute boobies."

"Naomi! Stop!" I covered my yellow triangle bikini top-clad boobs with my arms as I fell further into fits of giggles. "No—Stop—!"

Naomi cupped my face in her hands, gritting her teeth. "Uuughhh. God, Em, you're so irresistible. And you're all mine." After giving me a quick hungry kiss on the lips, she let her hands slide down my front and straight into the inside of my orange Rip Curl boardshorts.

I slapped at her hands. "Whoa, Naomi! Not here!" I hissed in between giggles and cautious glances.

"But you're so irresistible," the blonde whined, grabbing the hem of my bikini bottoms and teasing my skin down there.

"Well, if we go back to our suite later, I promise I'll still be irresistible." I punctuated my husky declaration with a meaningful wink.

Naomi grinned eagerly at this. "Okay. God, I love you." Then she pressed a lingering kiss on my lips and finally pulled her hands out of my shorts. "And you better hold on to your promise, Ranga. You know how cranky I get when I'm starved."

Then suddenly Naomi placed the camera down on the table, got off me and got up. She stripped off her tank top and denim shorts, revealing a tasty, sexy, killer bikini combination of light blue bandeau top and low rise double-string bottom that I've never seen her don before. My jaw just dropped to the floor. Hot damn.

Swiftly I stood up from the deckchair and reached for my girlfriend again. "On second thought . . ." I held her hips and pulled her close to me. I smiled, eyeing her perfectly shaped body. "You fucking tease."

Naomi smirked triumphantly to herself, enjoying teasing me. "Gotcha." She poked me on the chest and giggled. "I knew the bikini trick would work. Yay." She did an adorable victorious gesture by throwing up her arm with a clenched fist, eliciting a burst of chuckles from me. "Welcome back, perve."

Smiling, I raised an eyebrow at her. "You really know how to operate me, huh."

My girlfriend smirked, playing with the chain of the silver necklace I was wearing—the one she gave me as a present. "Oh I know you. I know all your wiring and all your buttons and all the settings. I know every inch of you," she murmured, tapping the tip of my nose. "I've learned the Emily Fitch manual by heart, my love."

"Heya, everyone!" Lara appeared at the top of the garden steps, wearing a bathrobe and a towel turban. "The gardener and pool boy pop over twice a week," she announced. "Just so you don't freak when you see a couple of blokes wandering around. Ivan the Poolboy's not interested in women, believe me," she said quickly when Karen's eyes twinkled. "I can't speak for the pool boy. I'm going now; I have to get back for the _OK!_ thing. But JJ asked me to tell you guys, 'Do go crazy.'"

"Thanks, Lara!" Sarah gratefully responded. "It's really kind of you to help us out."

Lara smiled. "No worries. I actually want to thank you guys for coming all the way over here. I know it was a long plane ride. And some of you probably are still jetlagged. Plus the fact that you have to ditch your dates and spend your Valentine's with me and JJ."

Freddie shook his head, smiling. "Don't be silly," he told the soon-to-be Mrs. Jones. "There's nowhere else we'd rather be. It's an honour to be part of your wedding, Lara."

"Yeah, we wouldn't miss it for the world," I chimed in.

Lara smiled appreciatively. "Really, thank you, guys. You have no idea how happy you've made JJ," she said. Then she turned to my girlfriend. "Naomi, you have my number, right? Call any time."

Naomi gave a two-finger salute. "Roger that."

Lara's phone buzzed. She frowned at the phone screen. "The perks of being the future Mrs. JJ Jones. I've to face all these cameras and act like a grownup lady," she said. "Well, I gotta hurry." Quickly, she moved across the lawn back toward the villa. "Have fun, guys! I'll join you later!"

"Bye, Lara!" Karen called. "Tell JJ we already miss his adorkable face!"

For some moments, everyone got busy doing something. I was applying sunscreen on Naomi's back while at the same time chatting about a rake of things with her when I heard footsteps and then a familiar voice.

"Aloha. How's it going, guys?"

Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice. It was Zoe Hammond. _The_ Zoe Hammond. The notorious Zoe Hammond was making her way down the steps, her flawless skin glinting golden brown under the sun. Ben was toddling behind her in a grey muscle shirt and navy blue boardshorts.

Cook, with water still dripping down his body, greeted the Kiwi girl right away with open arms. "Oh stop the lights! Here comes the fittest Olympic mermaid of 'em all! Is it just me or are ya still getting' hotter an' hotter, Zoe babes?"

"Get outta here, Cook." Zoe laughingly waved him off and continued to walk toward the cabana. Benedykt the Brooder stretched out on one of the sunloungers with a beer in his hand whilst Halo and Panda chatted with him.

Eyeing the pool impatiently, Zoe threw her towel onto a deckchair. Then she turned to look at Freddie and Sarah, and then at Ben, Halo and Panda, and asked, "What are you people doing just sitting there?" She took off her white singlet and shorts, revealing a trendy green string bikini underneath that looked striking on her tanned, fit, and obviously sexy body. "The water . . . and the blow-up dinosaur are waiting." She nodded toward the swimming pool that was solely occupied by a very smitten Sean who was clinging to the inflatable T-Rex.

"Hi! I hope you remember me." Halo waved, grinning. "Halo."

Zoe grinned back. "Of course. How could I not?" she said. "You had crazy purple hair, then, Halo."

"I've read so many stories about you online," Halo told her. "Particularly those on PerezHilton."

Zoe smiled. "I bet they were epic."

"They were all sorts of epic," Halo agreed.

"What about him?" Zoe asked, glancing at the floating entities in the pool in amusement. "Does he have a name?"

Sean's eyes lit up right away. He paddled closer to the group. There was eagerness in his big grin. "Who? Me?"

"No, the dinosaur," Zoe replied dryly.

It seemed like a dark cloud suddenly drifted over Sean. He blushed in embarrassment and mouthed an "Oh."

All those who overheard the exchange laughed so hard, including me and Naomi. Sean, too, managed to laugh at himself.

"His name is Chuck," Panda finally answered.

Halo drew back, staring at her blankly. "Since when?"

"Since three seconds ago," Panda replied, yawning.

"Jeez, Panda. You haven't changed." Chuckling in amusement, Zoe grabbed a can of beer and pulled the tab. Then just before she took a drink, Zoe noticed me. Her light brown eyes lit up. "Hey, there. Looking gorgeous, Emily." She gave me her trademark Zoe Hammond wink.

I smiled at her and gave a quick wave of my hand. "Zoe, hey."

Zoe took a big gulp of beer then moved toward us. When she reached the trellis, she crossed her arms over her chest and sized me up, smirking. "I see you've changed your hair colour. But I take it, no change of heart yet?" She glanced at Naomi pointedly.

My forehead scrunched up. "I'm sorry, what?"

Zoe cracked a laugh. "Hey, I was totally messing with you." Then she turned to Naomi and held up her hands in an _I'm backing off_ manner. "And I'm not competing with you again, Naomi. Clearly, your super hot bikini blows mine out of the water."

Naomi smiled up at her. "It's good to see you again, Zoe."

"Good to see you, ladies, too." Zoe bent over, giving both of us a hug.

"So. What've you been up to?" I asked her when she released Naomi. "C'mon, fill us in." I grinned, ready to devour some news.

Zoe cleared her throat. "Well," she began, "apart from maintaining an intense long-term relationship with my huggable girlfriend, Fondle, and exchanging sexts with your pervy little brother—"

Naomi and I cracked up at this.

"—I'm currently preparing for the New Zealand Open Water Swimming Championships coming up in a couple of months. I'm in the final two weeks of rigorous altitude training in a special training camp. It's been a blast so far. Met some Japanese swimmers who are also looking to qualify for the Pan Pacific's later this year. So, yes, luckily I was able to show off my terrible Nihongo skills."

"That's nice," I said, putting sunscreen on the last untouched spot on Naomi's lower back. "I mean, it's really amazing that you're so focused on your gift. And knowing you and what you can do and the great lengths you're willing to go through, you're a born winner, Zo. You make things happen."

Zoe grinned. "Thank you. I think so, too," she said, genuinely touched. Then she glanced at the pool. "That's it. I can't just stand here and not get wet. Can we please head in—?"

"Relax the cacks there, doll!" Cook rushed to Zoe's side. "Before you flaunt your killer breaststrokes, Zoe baby," he slung his arm over the girl's shoulders, "allow me to introduce ya to some really cool people. I'd like ya to meet my girlfriend too." He led Zoe toward the group of people clustered on the sunloungers.

Naomi then got up and adjusted her bikini top. "C'mon, Ems. Let's hit the pool." She held out her hand for me. I took it, and she pulled me up. Hand in hand, we walked together toward the swimming pool.

"3, 2, 1!" Naomi yelled and we ran to the pool and jumped in. We both came up for air laughing, and then Freddie and Sarah both jumped in, creating another huge wave to wash over me and Naomi.

Naomi and I moved hair out of our faces, giggling, as Freddie and Sarah resurfaced, laughing.

After three laps, I hung off the edge of the pool to catch my breath. I pushed my wet hair back and took in the warm sunshine.

Suddenly I felt a pair of arms grab me. Naomi wrapped her arms around my front and we drifted around backwards. And when we hit a pool wall, I leant my back into her chest further, and she bent forward and started to kiss my shoulder and neck. "Mmm . . . baby . . ."

I closed my eyes and smiled, enjoying the feel of her soft lips on my skin. Naomi then ran her hands down my legs to the backs of my knees. She pulled my legs up to my chest and held me like that. It was surprisingly a very comfortable position to be in.

Giggling, I then wiggled out of her arms and turned to face her. She cutely raised her eyebrows. "Liked that foreplay?"

Smiling like a fool, I wrapped my arms around her neck and nodded. "I love you."

The blonde grabbed my hips and pulled me close enough that our chests were touching. "I love you, too."

I grinned and kissed her, jumping and wrapping my legs around her waist. Her hands slid down to my butt to support me, and she playfully squeezed it as she carried on kissing me, causing me to smile. I ran my fingers through her silky wet hair and held her head close. She gently bit my bottom lip, and I opened my mouth in acceptance of her tongue.

Our tongues danced and played together in our mouths. When we heard loud hooting from the gang, we slowly pulled away, but still in the same position. We both stole kisses, quickly pecking the other's lips and giggling.

"Ladies, ladies, well done!" Cook was clapping loudly as he stood on the edge of the pool, grinning ear to ear. "Can you do a repeat, please?" He wore a pair of stupid looking paper glasses—those you can get for free in a cereal box. "I've got my 3D glasses on. Perhaps it'll look better in 3D."

Naomi and I held up our middle fingers to him. Cook just laughed.

I took Naomi's hand and pulled her to the shallower end where Freddie and Sarah were chilling out. Sean put his hands on the edge of the pool and pulled himself out of the water with muscular grace. He then approached Zoe and started to introduce himself. He was smiling like a true gentleman and even gave Zoe's hand a kiss.

I blinked water out of my eyes, pushed my wet tresses away from my face, and looked over at the group gathered on the sunloungers. "Look at Sean. He totally fancies Zoe," I whispered to them.

"Uh-oh. Barking up the wrong tree again." Naomi snorted laughter, and we tittered with her.

I seriously couldn't fight off laughter, remembering how Sean and I had met and how he tried to come on to me.

Sean got busy impressing Zoe. Zoe looked like she was just trying to be courteous to him but clearly her attention was somewhere else. And that somewhere was actually_someone_—someone who was leggy and French and had boobs.

Karen went over to Zoe as Sean left to get beer. We all sensed the French girl's 'woman crushing'.

Naomi hooked her arms around my waist and leant her chin on my shoulder. "I bet you, Zoe's the next victim," she said. "Look at how Karen checks her out. She looks like a fucking predator."

"Or Karen will be the next victim, rather," Freddie said with a half-amused half-concerned look on his face. "C'mon. We all know Zoe. That girl can fucking play."

We held our breaths as we watched the scenes unfold before our eyes.

"_Salut beauté_," Karen purred. "Can I just say, I love your skin colour. It looks so delicious." The French girl gave Zoe a French double-cheek kiss. "I'm Karen, by the way."

The Olympic swimmer smiled, pleased. "I'm Zoe."

Karen leant a bit closer. "Come again?"

"Zoe," the girl repeated, smirking. "Don't worry, babe, you'll remember it 'cos you'll be screaming it later." At this, Karen just responded with a raised impressed eyebrow. She was gobsmacked, obviously.

Freddie, Sarah, Naomi and I almost died from hysterical laughter.

"Guys, heads up!" Sean threw the inflatable dinosaur to me and he followed, diving into the water. He swam towards us.

"Emily, what's the deal with Zoe?" he asked me, looking confused.

"She's just a busy chick," I answered. "You know, lots of people on the string."

"I'll be glad for whatever time I get with her," Sean said, glancing admiringly at the tanned chick. "I like a woman who knows how to flirt and have fun."

Zoe climbed into the cool waters of the pool, and proceeded to slide her athletic body gracefully through the water. Karen and Katie took off their sarongs and followed her.

Naomi tut-tutted. "You are really that dense, aren't you?" she told Sean. "Your nervous system is clearly out of whack."

"His brain cells are probably busted," Sarah commented. "This guy needs a wake up call."

I playfully whacked Sean's head with the inflatable T-Rex. "Sorry, but they're right. Your head needs a li'l blow. Wake up, Seanski."

Sean had the most confused look and shook his head. "What? I don't get it." We playfully splashed water at him and swam away, leaving the poor bloke scratching his head.

Naomi and I swam towards the other end of the pool. We were greeted by another interesting scene and planned to eavesdrop. Panda, Halo and Benedykt were sat on the sunloungers, sipping their beers. You could tell Halo was on full-on flirting and showing off mode.

"Oh, I love jetting around the world," Halo was telling the Polish brooder. "As a matter of fact, me and my family are thinking of going to the Alps for the holidays."

"Really? Which part of the Alps do you think you're going to visit?" Benedykt asked.

I could see that the girl was searching her mental map of the world. Halo turned to Panda slightly and asked with a low voice, "How many parts are there?"

Panda gave a tiny shrug.

"Shit." I saw Halo mutter to herself. Then she turned to Ben again. "Oh, gosh." The girl shrugged, as if it made no difference to her. "Christmas is months away. Maybe we'll go to Turkey instead."

"Which part of Turkey?" Benedykt asked as a follow up question.

Fortunately, Halo didn't have to answer. Effy and Thomas were already making their way toward the pool area.


End file.
